LAYING DOWN THE FOOT. 149 



Any person who wishes to form an idea of this, may do 

 so by trying the action with his own hand on a table. 

 If he wants to go forsv-ard he will find it tedious, very 

 clumsy, and difficult, when the points of the fingers are 

 brought first into contact with the surface; but the 

 very reverse is the case when the heel of the hand, if 

 I may use such an expression, is laid first to the 

 table. 



My opponents will admit that the horse sometimes 

 lays down the heel first. Now, I cannot understand 

 how it is possible for him ever to do so without showing 

 a decided halt or limp, unless it is the natural and proj^er 

 method. It is easy to see that, although the heel ought 

 to come first to the ground, it is possible for the toe, 

 in some instances, to do so, in consequence of defective 

 muscular action, or malformation. But if, on the other 

 hand, the toe, or flat of the foot, should come first, the 

 heel never could do so without a great and observable 

 defect in motion. It would then be about as awkward 

 for the horse to come first with his heel, as it would be 

 for the man to come first with his toe. The reversion 

 of the natural action, in either case, would be attended 

 with such decided defects, that it could not possibly 

 fail to attract attention. Xow, what do we find as the 

 result of observation ? If we see a man walking with 

 a firm, elastic, active, and powerful step, We will in- 



